


Graduation

by eClair23



Category: Kingdom Keepers - Ridley Pearson
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26362306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eClair23/pseuds/eClair23
Summary: Since the Keepers never got to have a real graduation, I'm giving them one, complete with fireworks at Disney as they head off toward their futures
Relationships: Isabella "Willa" Angelo/Dell Philby
Kudos: 3





	Graduation

“Okay, you can open your eyes now!” Willa took her hands from over Philby’s eyes, watching his reaction intently. 

The Philby family’s yard was decorated in the colors of the various schools that the Keepers attended: colored tinsel draped over chairs organized into neat rows, balloons, and streamers. Willa had set up a podium in front of the chairs. 

“Wills, what is this?” He looked around, confused, at his extended family occupying the chairs. The Keepers, Amanda, and Jess were there, too, as well as their families. 

“I know you were really disappointed about missing graduation, and I think we all deserve some recognition for our hard work. Do you… do you like it?” She asked with trepidation.

He looked at her, awestruck. “I love it.”

She hugged him. “I’m so proud of you. Now let’s get this show on the road! Mr. Philby, will you do the honors, please?”

Philby’s dad stood, moving to the podium as he chuckled. “Well, this is going to be the shortest graduation ceremony ever. Would you all please have a seat?” 

Willa and Philby sat down in the two empty seats in the front row with the rest of the Keepers. Mr. Philby continued. “This year, we’ve got seven graduates. I’m so sorry you kids missed your graduations, but I want you to know just how proud I am of all of you. You have handled this unexpected end to your high school careers with grace, and I know you’re all going to do exceedingly well in college.”

Philby squeezed Willa’s hand. He knew the stress of leaving her family and friends for college was weighing on her. 

“Without further ado, the graduating class of 2014! Isabella Angelo,” Willa made her way to the podium and accepted her diploma, moving to stand to the side. “Dell Philby.” Philby mirrored her, coming to stand next to her. 

The rest of the Keepers were called, standing in a line beside the podium.

Mr. Philby continued. “And now for a speech from our valedictorian. Willa, take it away.” 

She stepped up to the podium. “Thank you, Mr. Philby. And thank you all for allowing me to use your yard, and for helping me to plan this. I needed all the help I could get!” The audience chuckled. “Now for the serious bit. While I was writing this speech, I had an extremely difficult time coming up with things to say about my high school experience. I eventually came to realize that this was because my high school experience was simply not the most influential part of the past four years of my life. My friends were. There were plenty of days when I complained about being a DHI, and when I wished my life could be normal again. 

“However, as I thought about it, I realized that it was a blessing in disguise. Working for Disney brought me a second family: the Keepers.” She paused to wipe away a tear. “Before I auditioned for the role, I was a braniac. I didn’t have people around me who loved me for me. I was lonely a lot of the time. But everything changed after I got the part, and after that first day of green-screen work. For the first time in my life I had friends to count on. I didn’t doubt that they cared about me, and spending time with them was even more fun than homework (and that’s saying something).” Here, she won a laugh. “Over the years, our group became inseparable. We added Amanda and Jess to our number, and our group continued to grow in tight-knit bonds of friendship and loyalty. We grew up together. From awkward first crushes to overcoming rivalries, we’ve seen each other through all of it. There’s no one else I would want by my side. You guys are my family, and I love you with all of my heart. Thank you.”

The audience applauded as the Keepers embraced each other in a massive group hug, full of sniffles and laughter. 

Mrs. Whitman cut in. “Before you all start crying, we should take some pictures!”

The graduates laughed. It was a gorgeous day, everyone warmed by the Orlando sun. From pictures they would go out to a celebratory lunch with their families, and much later the seven of them would head to Magic Kingdom to finish out the day with fireworks. It was a fitting end to their high school careers. 

All of the couples posed for pictures, rolling their eyes as their parents “aww”d over them. Willa and Philby burst out laughing after they tried for a serious-faced picture, and the resulting candid photo became both of their favorites. They were grinning and looking at each other, eyes sparkling with happiness and mirth, arms slung around each other.

The girls took a group picture, as did the guys. Their group had become inseparable. The girls had bonded over countless nights sleeping at each others’ houses and teasing one another about the boys, and the boys had often played sports and spent time together on the weekends and in their spare time during the week. They’d forged strong friendships that every member of the group treasured. Charlene and Willa were the closest of the girls, having been the only female Keepers at the beginning. And of course, Amanda and Jess were absolutely attached at the hip. 

Finally, the group took a picture with everyone together. 

After the cameras were put away, it all started to really hit Willa that they were going   
to have to go separate ways for college. Of course they would stay in touch, but she was devastated to think about leaving her friends. She had always struggled to make friends, and college would definitely be a challenge in that regard. She didn’t realize she was crying until Charlene bumped her shoulder.

“You okay?”

Willa shook her head, tears fighting their way down her cheeks. “I don’t want to leave you guys,” she choked out.

Charlene wrapped her in a tight hug. “Aw, honey, I don’t want to leave you either.”

Finn came over, too. “Hey, Wills.”

He got a teary “hey” in response.

“Mind if I cut in, Charlie?” He asked.

“Go for it.” She passed Willa over to Finn, who wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking shoulders. 

“Hey, it’s going to be okay, Willa. I promise we’ll keep in touch, okay?”

“Yeah?”

“Of course! I couldn’t leave my little sis behind.”

She laughed. “You’d better not.”

By now, the other Keepers had made their way over and started another group hug around Willa. Charlene started crying, and then Amanda and Jess broke, too. Even the boys let a few tears fall. 

“Sorry I made you all cry,” Willa sniffled.

The group let out wet laughs. 

“I guess I’m just not ready to let the best six years of my life go,” she confessed, sobbing into Philby’s shoulder. He squeezed her tight.

“We’re not going to let you go, Willa. Promise.” He assured her, and the others agreed. “Geographical distance isn’t going to have anything on our friendships.”

The Keepers gave each other one last squeeze and headed inside to get ready to go out for lunch. Willa and Philby stayed behind. Once everyone was gone, he pulled her close in a hug, swaying from side to side. 

“I know you’re not big on PDA, but I just want you to know how much I love you.”

She craned her neck to look up at him, her eyes puffy and red. She wasn’t worried about that, though… he’d seen her cry plenty of times, and he didn’t think less of her for it. 

When had he gotten so tall? Just yesterday they were scrawny thirteen-year-old kids. She smiled at him. “I love you, too, Dell.”

“You’re going to do great next year, I know it. I’m so proud of you, and I’ll be believing in you every step of the way.” He interlaced their hands and squeezed. “And I’m only a phone call away if you ever need me.”

She rested her forehead against his chest. “Thank you.” She kissed him, savoring the moment of quiet, then pulled him back toward the house. “We’d better hurry on in, or they’re going to wonder where we are.”

~

The Keepers enjoyed lunch with each other and their families, then headed to Willa’s to watch a movie before heading to the Magic Kingdom. 

They crammed into Willa’s living room and put “Tangled” into the DVD player. Willa and Dell took the loveseat, Jess the armchair, and the remaining two couples took the couch. Philby settled against the cushions, Willa’s head on his shoulder as he played with her hair. She sighed contentedly. 

Maybeck looked over at them and pretended to gag. 

Willa laughed. “Thanks, Terry.”

~

The Keepers entered the Magic Kingdom, practically skipping down Main Street, USA. 

“It’s been so long since we were able to just enjoy being here,” Amanda grinned brightly. “It’s nice to have a night to relax in the park.”

Finn squeezed her hand. “Agreed.”

The seven teens sat down on the curb, waiting for the show to start. They were early, and their timeliness would help them get the best vantage point for the fireworks. 

Charlene stood up and Maybeck followed. “We’ll go grab dinner from Casey’s. Anyone else want to come? We might need help carrying stuff.”

Jess volunteered, and the three left. 

“You feeling better, Wills?” Finn asked.

Willa blushed lightly. “Yeah, I am. Thanks, Finn.”

“And hey, we’ve still got all summer together,” Amanda reminded them.

Willa nodded. “We’ve just got to appreciate the time we’ve got, I guess.”

Philby agreed. “We’ll all be back home for breaks, too, don’t forget. We’re family. We’re not going to leave each other behind. What’s that quote from Lilo and Stitch?” 

“Ohana means family?” Willa offered.

Amanda finished it. “And family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.”

Philby hummed. “That’s it.”

Maybeck, Charlene, and Jess returned with the food and distributed it to the others. They all dug in hungrily.

Before they knew it, the fireworks began. They stood so they could see over the heads of the people in front of them. 

Philby put his arms around Willa from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. From his vantage point, he could admire the way the fireworks were reflected in her dark brown eyes.

She craned her neck to watch his reaction to the show, knowing just how much he loved the technology behind the effects. She caught him looking at her and they both laughed before turning their attention back to the show. 

The song started talking about loss, and Willa swallowed the lump in her throat, pulling Philby’s arms tighter around herself. Tears fought their way down her face as she thought about Wayne. About the knife plunging into his chest for her. He’d died to protect her, and the sting of the loss and her sense of guilt were still fresh. She turned around and buried her face in Philby’s shirt, crying as he stroked her hair calmingly. 

“It’s okay, Willa, you’re okay.”

She whimpered. “I miss him so much.”

He felt a pang of hurt in his heart, too. Wayne had meant a lot to all of them, and Philby missed his mentorship keenly. “I miss him, too.”

She looped her arms around him, hugging him close. After a moment of silence, in which she kept crying softly, he spoke again in a quiet voice close to her ear, so as not to disturb the spectators around them. “It’s over now, you’re safe. We’re okay.”

She nodded, breathing in the smell of his cologne. She felt a little calmer now, and pulled away sheepishly. 

“Do you want to go somewhere quieter?” he offered.

She shook her head. “I’m okay. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” He handed her a handkerchief and she settled back against his chest to keep watching the show. Philby’s thumb ghosted over her side soothingly, helping her to finally calm back down all the way. She loved that about him–when he couldn’t fix the problem, he simply held her and offered his comforting presence. 

The narrator ended the show by saying that now the audience should follow their dreams, wherever those dreams took them. Willa looked around at the Keepers, knowing that they were all going exactly where they needed to be. That made it a little easier to move away from each other. Every one of the Keepers was excited about the possibilities ahead of them, and she wouldn’t trade that for anything. Their friendships had been forged and tested in some testy situations, and they could handle college, after all they’d been through together.

Philby kissed her cheek. 

“I guess it’s on to happily ever after now,” Willa smiled.

“I guess it is,” he grinned, looking right at her.


End file.
